Everyone loves fruit when it’s warm out, but there’s something about eating it from a little dish that makes it even more special. A refreshing sorbet—basically, blended fruit—is the perfect way to use up leftover berries from your CSA, garden or farmers market. However, you can use pre-frozen berries as well, and enjoy this summer dessert regardless of the season.
Berries are brimming with antioxidants and other anti-aging properties, so it’s worth taking advantage of them all year round. They contain plenty of vitamins C and K1, manganese, copper and folate, while keeping a low calorie count and low carb level. They’re also high in fiber (2g/100g serving for strawberries, 5.3g/100g serving for blackberries), which makes you feel full for longer and reduces hunger.
Additionally, berries help lower bad cholesterol and fight inflammation. Finally – and this one you already know – berries are utterly delicious, whether eaten on their own, or in drinks, salads and desserts.
Fresh herbs add a sophisticated touch to these vegan summer sorbet recipes, and coconut water cuts the sweetness of the berries a bit. You can also use fresh apple juice if you like your sorbet a little sweeter. If you aren’t serving all the sorbet at once, put the leftovers back in the freezer, they will hold just fine.
Just make sure you thaw them a couple minutes before serving again. You can sub in whatever berries and herbs you have on hand (raspberries, basil, blueberries, cilantro, etc.) and add in a little lemon or lime juice if you like a tart taste.
We used a combination of strawberry and mint for a perfectly refreshing summer dessert. This is the kind of sorbet that anyone will enjoy – kids and adults alike. However, our blackberry and sage version is just as delicious, and just the right way to finish a summer dinner in the backyard. Scroll down for both summer sorbet recipes below:
Strawberry Sorbet with Mint
Ingredients
- 3 cups frozen strawberries
- 1 cup organic apple juice OR coconut water
- 4 to 5 mint leaves plus more for garnish
Instructions
- In a high speed blender, add all the ingredients. Blend until well incorporated and garnish with additional mint leaves.
Blackberry Sorbet with Sage
Ingredients
- 3 cups frozen blackberries
- 1 cup apple juice or coconut water
- 4 to 5 sage leaves plus more for garnish.
Instructions
- In a high speed blender, add all the ingredients. Blend until well incorporated. Garnish with additional sage leaves.
Photos by Ana Stanciu